Washing-machine.



' No.849,090. PATENTEDAPRQ, i907. H. B. THOMPSON. WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23 1905.

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No. 849,090. PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

H. E. THOMPSON. WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23, 1905.

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WASHING- Specification of Letters Patent.

MACHINE.

Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed February 23, 1905- Serial No. 246,995.

To all whom, it nuty concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denton, in the county of Denton and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WVashing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to washing-machines embodying in their structure a suds-box and a stationary and a reciprocating rubber, the latter having its working surface composed of rollers.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the washing-machine on the line :0 a; of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a side piece of the frame of the reciprocating rubber. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the rollers forming the surface of the reciprocating rubber, showing clearly the matching parts.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The washing-machine comprises a sudsbox 1 of suitable construction, mounted upon legs 2. Within the upper portion of the suds-box is located the stationary rubber, the same comprising a frame 2 and a series of strips 3, having a parallel relation. The stationary rubber extends the entire width of the suds-box and is suitably connected at its sides thereto. The upper portion of the stationary rubber terminates a short distance from a plane touching the upper side of the sides of the suds-box, this being of advantage, as it admits of portions of the clothing being washed hanging over the sides of the subs-box, which is of especial advantage in washing articles, such as blankets, quilts, and like bed-covering. The strips 3 are spaced apart and their upper surfaces are made rounding, thereby admitting of free circulation of water and preventing injury to the clothing.

The reciprocating rubber comprises a frame and a series of rollers and is arranged to act jointly with the stationary rubber and move thereover. The rollers 4 are provided in series, any number being employed, and are of similar construction, each consisting of portions 5 and 6, having an alternate arrangement, the parts 5 being of uniform and larger diameter than the parts 6. The rollers are arranged so that the parts 5 of one enter the spaces formed between the parts 5 of the adjacent roller, as shown most clearly in Fig. 5. The rollers thus matched have the parts 5 of one mating with the parts 6 of the roller adjacent thereto. In practice the rollers rotate in the same direction, and when the forward portion is moving downward the rear portion is traveling upward. Hence the opposing portions of adjacent rollers move in opposite directions, and the tendency of one roller to carry the clothing upward between a pair of rollers is offset by the tendency of the matching roller to move the clothing downward. The rollers are mounted in yieldable bearings 7, arranged in vertical openings 8, formed in side pieces 9 of the reciprocating rubber-frame. The bearings 7 have their upper portions reduced, as shown at 10, and projected above the side pieces 9. A plate 11, secured to the upper edge of each side piece 9, closes the upper ends of the openings 8 and is provided with apertures through which the upper ends of the reduced parts 10 extend, downward displacement of the bearings being prevented by means of setcollars or stops 12, fitted to the projecting ends of the parts 10 above the plates 11. Coil-springs 13 exert a downward pressure upon the bearings 7 and are confined between the plates 11 and shoulders formed at the inner or lower ends of the parts 10.

The frame of the reciprocating rubber consists of similar side pieces 9 and connecting cross-pieces 14, the latter serving as handles which are gripped for convenience when op erating the machine. Standards or pillowblocks 15 project upward from the end portions of the plates 11 and are preferably integral therewith and support at their upper ends grooved wheels 16, arranged to bear against rods 17, forming a track to direct the rubber in its reciprocating movement and. hold it to its work. The rods 17 have a parallel relation, and their end portions are bent downward and secured to the suds-box in any substantial manner. The rods 17 possess a certain amount of spring action and are adapted to yield upward between their ends, thereby permitting the reciprocating rubber to adapt itself as a whole to the bulk of clothing passing between the two rubbers.

This is of advantage particularly when the side bars of the sud s-box 1, and, as shown in said figure in connection with Fig. 1, it will be seen that the said ends of the rollers by ex tending over the upper edges of the side bars of said suds-box may rest upon and be supported thereby when the rubber frame is moved in one direction or the other oil of the rubber-frame 27 By this arrangement the upper edges of the suds-box assist the setcollars or stops 12 in stopping the vertical yield able rollers and produce a durable structure, as the ends of the rollers, working along the edges of the suds-box, prevent undue strain in a downward direction upon the setcollars 12 and limit the downward movement of the entire set of rollers.

Having thus described. the invention, what is claimed as new is--- In a washing-machine, the combination of a suds-box, a stationary rubber in said sndsbox, a reciprocating rubber cooperating with the stationary rubber and comprising spaced connected sides, tracks carried by the sides of the suds-box, plates mounted on the upper edge portions of the sides of the reciprocating rubber and provided with vertical standards projecting therefrom, rollers journaled in. the standards and engaging the tracks aforesaid to direct the reciprocating rubber in its movement, a plurality of rubbing-rollers carried by the reciprocating rubber, the sides of the reciprocating rubber being formed with a plurality of vertical openings extending entirely therethrough and closed at the up er ends by the plates above mentioned, a p urality of vertical bearings mounted in the vertical openings of the reciprocating rubber and having the upper ends thereof reduced and passing through openings in the plates applied to the sides of said rubber, stops at the upper extremities of the bearings to limit the downward movement thereof, springs interposed between the enlarged lower end portions of the bearings and the plates of the reciprocating rubber and mounted in the openings in the sides of the latter so as to normally tend to force the bearings downwardly, the bearings having the rollers of the reciprocating rubber journaled therein and being movable toward the sides of the suds-box and to be limited. in their downward movement thereby.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY E. THOMPSON.

itnesses H. H. AR'ENDALL, E. A. HILTERBRAND. 

